Puppets for a Greater Cause
by fight4foo
Summary: Summary: Albert’s loved the count for a while, but after seeing something he isn’t sure his feelings are returned. Can the overly happy youngster find love with the older man or are there greater forces at work?


**Puppets for a Greater Cause**

Author: Emma  
Chapter: I originally thought this should be a one-shot, but my friend begged for more so there is kinda a sequel or another chapter written, but I still think this should a solo piece. (This was put up on the Gankutsuou lj a while ago, so it might be kinda familiar)  
Disclaimer: If I owned Gankutsuou there would have already been yaoi in it…but sadly, no.  
Warnings: Yaoi. I had to use an online translator for the end because I wanted it in French. I don't know if it's right but if it's not would somebody please tell me?  
Summary: Albert's loved the count for a while, but after seeing something he isn't sure his feelings are returned. Can the overly happy youngster find love with the older man, are there greater forces at work?  
First of five.  
Dedication: To Madeleine because she's the idiot who asked for this fic and therefore it is entirely her fault I put off all my other work to do it this afternoon. Hope you like it.

* * *

Albert ran through one of the large, ornate, gardens that made up the Count's estate. The rain came down in torrents around him, pounding mercilessly on the Viscount's head. It was one of those afternoon storms that came without warning, but continued until the evening. Small ponds in the Count's garden had begun to overflow, splashing delicate lilies onto the lawn and scaring the fish. Flowers had their heads bent against the torrent of rain. 

Albert slipped on the wet path as he rounded a corner. Pulling on the drainpipe, he hauled himself up. Albert realized he was looking in a window at a black and white checkered room. Inside were two masked figures, dueling with swords. One of them, a slightly taller one, lunged at the other. Albert gasped as he saw the shorter one crumple to the floor. For a second it seemed as if the dueler had been killed, but they rose, grasping their arm, which was spurting blood.

"That…was better, my lord," the bleeding figure said in a deep voice, much like Baptistan.

'If that's Baptistan…then the lord must be…' Albert thought, still staring in the window, completely forgetting about the rain.

The taller figure removed his mask and indeed, it was the count. "Yes, but I still…" he said in that rich, melodious, voice Albert loved, but then was cut off as he collapsed to the floor.

"My lord!" Baptistan hurried forward to help his lord up, but was waved away.

"Go…get…Haydée…" the count rasped from the floor, pointing at the door.

Baptistan bowed, heading towards the door, "Yes, my lord."

Albert stood there terrified, 'Oh no! This must be that disease he told me about…I hope…I hope he's okay.'

Baptistan entered again, toting behind him the count's delicate and beautiful servant Haydée. When she saw the count lying on the floor, Haydée's hands flew to her mouth and she dropped down beside the count.

"Monsieur…" she breathed out. The count reached up, pulling her head beside his so he could whisper into her ear. Albert couldn't hear what they said, but as Haydée stood up she said, "It will be as you say."

As Haydée left the room, Albert saw her glance back at the count. Her face was as stoic as ever, but the look in her eyes was so full of love even Albert couldn't miss it.

Albert was stunned, 'Are she and the count…in love?' However, in his shock he hadn't noticed the count dismiss Haydée's look and begin to stand. They were talking inside, but Albert noticed none of it, still lost in thought. 'I should have thought…but then where does that leave me?'

A voice close behind calling his name startled Albert back into reality. He turned around and saw Bertuccio come up the path calling. That's when the rain and cold made their presence known to Albert. Involuntarily he began to shiver. Albert must have been standing at that window for a good six or seven minutes.

"Yes, Monsieur Bertuccio?" Albert asked quietly.

"I was merely inquiring as to why you are standing in the rain." Bertuccio stated, as infuriatingly polite as ever.

Albert looked at himself, noticing that not only were his clothes soaking wet, but covered in mud as well. He must have gotten muddy when falling. "I was walking on the path…but, erm, slipped. I was just getting up."

Bertuccio bowed. "Will you not come inside Monsieur Viscount Morcef?"

Albert hesitated before remembering how far walking home would be, "Yes…"

Albert sat on a sofa across from the count, sipping on a cup of coffee. He was dressed in a pair of black pants and a large, puffy, white, shirt loaned to him by the count. They were too big, but would have to do since his clothes were drying out.

"Thank you so much for this. I apologize for causing you so much trouble. I was down at the river near your house when this storm sprang up. I had walked there, so this was the closest shelter." Albert explained curtly. His voice lacked the usually familiarity he generally used when talking to the count. What he had witnessed in the room still ran through Albert's mind.

The count, who wore similar attire to Albert, looked over. He took note of Albert's somewhat detached tone, but did not mention it. Instead the count offered a warm smile. "Think nothing of it. In fact now that you are here, it would be a shame for you to not stay for dinner. I seldom have guests since I live so far away from Paris."

Albert looked at the count, momentarily forgetting his previous thoughts. "Seriously! I would love to! It's been a while since I've had dinner with you…"

The count laughed the genial, hearty laugh that had enraptured many of the Parisian aristocrats. Nodding, the count motioned for a servant to come over. As he spoke to the maid in rapid French Albert's good mood quickly deflated. 'It would make sense…after all Haydée is a girl, and young, and pretty. I'm sure the count would love her back…'

The count had finished speaking with the maid and watched Albert, who still sat lost in thought. After a moment of silence the count interrupted the younger one's train of thought, jerking him back to the present. "A penny for your thoughts, Albert."

Albert gave a small smile, "You're going to have to offer more than that, count."

"A few thousand francs would be nothing if that's what you're talking about…" the count replied with a small laugh.

Now Albert was grinning, "I was thinking more along the lines of promising me that splendid chocolate mousse, I've had here before, for dessert."

The count nodded, a small part of him glad that the viscount was no longer brooding, "Fine, it will be so. However, now you have to tell me what you were thinking of."

Albert hesitated and looked down at the rug, "I was thinking…about something you said on Luna…"

The count's delicate eyebrow quirked, "What exactly did I say that merited such intense thought?"

"Not just what you said, something else that involves it," Albert shook his head before fixing his gaze on the count. "When you told us about the love you had once had."

Inwardly the count smirked, knowing where this was going since, after all, he had planned it. "Oh, would you be feeling such a love right now?"

Tears began to slip down the viscount's face. He made no effort to wipe them away. "I had…but, that was when I thought I had a chance."

The count reached over and patted Albert on the shoulder, who stiffened somewhat at the touch. "Are you talking about Mademoiselle Danglars?" the count said, pretending to not know what the other was talking about.

Albert shook his head, still crying. "No, not Mademoiselle Euginé." and then added, under his breath, "Or any mademoiselle for that matter."

The count feigned a moment of shock at catching that last statement, but continued with names. "Perhaps Monsieur D'Epinay then?"

Again, Albert shook his head, not noticing or caring that the count had heard him. "No, although he has admitted his love for me. I feel nothing but a platonic love for him."

The count shot Albert a sly look and continued, "Then is it…" A servant had walked in at that time and cut the count off, saying that dinner was ready. "Will you accompany me to dinner?" the count asked Albert while offering his arm, as if it was the most natural thing to do for another guy. Albert's face reddened, but he took the count's arm. They headed into the dinning room where the servants didn't even seem to notice the two men coming in together.

They dined together happily, Albert's former mood seeming to have lifted somewhat. After the delicious meal (which, as always the count ate none of) the two men retired to the saloon where Albert ate his mousse, like the count had promised.

Albert gazed thoughtfully at the count, his face showing some of the internal conflict he was going through. Setting down the empty bowl that had held his mousse, Albert addressed the count, "Do you remember the watch you gave me? And, what it said?"

The count looked somewhat surprised at this, but Albert didn't notice. "I do. 'Death is certain, the hour uncertain', in Latin. Correct?"

Albert nodded, turning his gaze away from the count to look at the rain still pouring outside the window. They sat silent for a moment before Albert asked softly, almost a whisper, "Do you think…the same goes for love?"

Now the count was genuinely surprised and Albert saw, causing him to give a small chuckle. "In what way?"

"Something like, 'Love is certain, the person uncertain.' Do you think everybody falls in love at sometime?"

The count stood up and walked over to the window, resting his forehead on it, "I do. Like you said on Luna, I believe that everybody experiences a love that grips onto their soul and won't let go, sometime during their life."

Albert lowered his head and stared at his hands, clasped together in his lap. "But, then it doesn't matter if it isn't mutual. That person will have loved in vain then…"

The count crossed the room again and sat down next to Albert. Their bodies were close, so close that Albert could hear the older man's breathing. "You never answered before, Albert, who you were in love with." The count said in a low voice.

'Is he doing this on purpose…?' was the last thought Albert had before his body took control. He leaned in so their lips were only an inch apart and their foreheads were touching. "Je t'aime." Albert breathed, before crashing their lips together. The younger man kissed the count heatedly for a moment, before realizing what he was doing and pulling back. What Albert didn't notice, is that right as he pulled back, the count had begun to return the kiss.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't…I'm going to leave now." Albert muttered looking at the ground. He turned and ran out of the room leaving the count sitting alone on the couch, lips still somewhat swollen from the kiss.

The count sat there for a moment not moving before his mouth curved into a smirk. 'Perfect. Exactly what I had planned to happen.' After all, what is more damaging than making your enemy's child fall in love with you?

The count ran out of the room after Albert, pausing only to grab his coat. The small figure of the viscount could be seen about 100 meters away still running, but slowly because of the rain. The count took off after him, easily catching up with the tired youth. He grabbed Albert on the arm and turned him around.

Albert looked at the ground, too ashamed to look up. "I'm really sorry, I should have never done that. I won't ever come back if you want…" The count silenced him with a kiss. He wrapped arms around the shorter boy and mashed their lips together. For a second Albert did not respond because he was too surprised, but then began to kiss back with equal fervor. Tentatively Albert poked his tongue out and licked at the count's lips for entrance. It was granted and his tongue entered the moist cavern of the count's mouth. Albert ran his tongue over the pointed canine teeth before exploring the rest. He opened his eyes slightly as another tongue entered his mouth and began to explore. Their tongues dueled back and forth for a few more moments before they broke apart for air.

The count held Albert close and whispered into his ear, "Je t'aime, mon amour."

Albert sighed and leaned in to the count. "I…thought…Haydée."

"Haydée is but a twig. Now will you come spend the night?" the count murmured in a low voice. Albert stiffened somewhat and the infamous Albert-blush appeared on his face. This only caused the count to chuckle, "I mean your home is still quite far away, it's raining, and you're wearing my clothes. There is a guest room you can stay in."

Albert relaxed and laughed, "That would be great."

The count walked into the dark room where Albert was sleeping, not bothering to turn on a light because he could see just as well in the dark. A small part of him felt bad about toying with the boy's emotions like this, but the part of him that wanted revenge on Count Morcef far out-weighed this. Albert was, after all, genuinely in love with the count.

The count stood there for a moment, listening to the sleeping boy's breathing. Soon his revenge would be complete, little was left to do. However, it wasn't the events to come that worried the count, but what would happen afterwards and, a small voice in his head said, what would happen to Albert.

'I'm sorry, Albert. You don't deserve this. If I could love I would, but my heart froze over long ago. I can never love again'

"Je ne suis rien que la marionnette de ma vengeance." The count said softly, while moving Albert's hair off his face, and then he left the room.

Albert's eye's snapped open. "Je ne suis rien que la marionnette de ma vengeance?"

* * *

The french means: I am but a puppet for my revenge 

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review!


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